Confessing II
by Asanisan
Summary: Sakuno never liked the ritual of confessions until.... Ryosaku
1. Chapter 1

**Confessing**

I was always a bit fuzzy about this whole confession thing. You know, the whole blurting out your feelings to that person you wanted to be your significant other. I read about it in manga, saw it in anime, and it was impossible to miss in any tv drama worth its salt. Confessions were all over the place and the practice was used by all ages of both genders for all sorts of relationships.

For this reason, I felt that a confession had no meaning whatsoever. How can I express anything real in a form so overused and generic? Hell, there was even a formulaic breakdown in any one of the date magazines Tomoka liked to read. So, the idea that such a form of expression could give any inkling to the sincere wishes and feelings of my own honest heart was simply laughable. I always thought actions spoke louder than words anyway.

It wasn't until my first year in middle school that I started to understand why so many people resorted to a love confession and I began to like confessions instead of looking down on the stereotypical showcase of one's unique emotions. You see, besides telling all about how you're in love with someone, there's something that can be added on to a confession.

"Please accept my feelings."

There's the clincher, for me at least. While that phrase too in unquestionable banal, the idea behind it touches me. This phrase says, "please don't ignore me." Please understand where I'm coming from. Please see me. Please look at me. All of me. This part, the part of me that loves you, exists as well. Love me, reject me, just please don't ignore me.

Don't pretend I don't want to stand by your side when we both know I desprately do.

For confessions, the whole putting yourself out there and showing bravery and courage by exposing yourself to possible rejection part of a confession never really impressed me. People do that a thousand times a day in a million different ways without uttering a single "I love you." It's that phrase that more often than not is forgotten in the stuttering nervousness of the actual love confession. That's what impresses me. How so much hope and so much yearning and so much confrontation and so many shining sentiments can be rolled into so few, trite words will never stop amazing me. So much is said in those words that I couldn't even comprehend it until I was there. Until it was me feeling those feelings and me wishing those wishes. Until I met a boy who captured all my attention and denied me any of his.

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**Author Note:**

For those of you who think that this story is perfect the way it is, please click on the review button (or just hit the back button and find another fic to read). All others, please proceed to the next chapter in a calm and orderly fashion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Confessing (cont'd)**

That's why I told him those words. He was back from America for the summer and he had just finished with training at the U-17 training camp with boys much older than he. Obaa-chan had invited him to our house to celebrate his success and growth. I waited until all the adults, the tennis team regulars, and the freshman trio had left the room. Ryoma was too busy snacking on onigiri and Ponta to try his hand at pool in the gameroom like the rest of them. I sat across from him at the table. He didn't look up from his meal.

"Ryoma-kun…" I called to him.

"Hn?" he grunted in return as he swallowed a mouthful and finally looked at me.

"Please accept my feelings." I said with conviction and humility.

He blinked once with a blank expression. "What feelings?"

"All my feelings, every single one. Please accept them," I said with a surety that often escaped me in his prescence.

Ryoma isn't stupid. He didn't need to be told what my feelings were when everyone knew who held my heart in his tennis-gifted hands. He gave me a denigrating lift of his brow and an amused smirk.

"Aren't you missing the first half of that confession?" he asked.

"A-ano…I-I was just…"

I didn't say anymore than that, because it was too complicated to explain why I only told him my favorite part of the confession and if he wanted an "I love you," I refused to give it to him simply because he asked. I have my pride, too. To answer him, I merely gave a shrug and a smile.

"Mada mada dane," he said with his own smile.

He went back to eating then and I rested my head on my crossed arms and watched him eat until the senpai-tachi came to drag him away. He protested, but like always ended up following his senpai-tachi. I could tell he secretly enjoyed all the attention. They left the room and I picked up his plate. He had eaten all the onigiri, as was expected. No one would miss me at the pool game. I was surprised when someone did come to get me.

"Ryuuzaki," Ryoma called from the doorway.

I looked up from the dishes with a questioning look, anticipating a request for food and beverages.

"Come on," he said with a smug, knowing look. "It's your turn."

"H-How do you k-know I even want to play?" I asked, revealing a little bit of my stubborn side in my surprise.

"Mada mada dane," he said as he grabbed my wrists and pulled me along. "Do you want me to accept your feelings or not?"

I'll never forget that moment. It was the moment I began to believe Ryoma understood everything I was saying with those few, simple words.

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**Author Note:**

Naturally, she won the game. If she has a pool table, I have no doubt she practices and the others are probably all noobs anyway. Thanks for reading and I hope the second chapter wasn't a disappointment. If so, you're the one who pressed the button to go on to the next chapter. ;) Tell me what you think. Or not. Whatever floats your boat.


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